1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a delta wing form body for a ground effect vehicle which has a center forward apex as well as opposite side apices, each apex including a vertical powered fan duct assembly extending therethrough. The rear of the wing form body includes forward thrust developing horizontal fan duct assemblies while the center of the body includes laterally and longitudinally shiftable weight structure for omnidirectional shifting of the center of gravity of the wing form body.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of ground effect and air cushion vehicles heretofore have been provided and most of these vehicles are amphibious in nature.
A distinction is herein made between air cushion vehicles and ground effect vehicles in that air cushion vehicles, generally, do not employ any airfoil surfaces to augment lift during rapid forward movement, whereas ground effect vehicles, while not capable of sustained flight at high elevations, employ airfoil surfaces effective to provide minimum lift during forward movement to augment the air cushion effect of the vehicle and allow horizontal flight at elevations under ten feet and brief climbs above ten feet to perhaps as much as thirty feet as a result of forward momentum.
Examples of various different forms of air cushion and ground effect vehicles including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,106,260, 3,185,240, 3,589,058, 3,687,217, 3,709,318, 3,765,357, 3,931,864, 5,000,107, 5,203,274 and 5,176,095. However, these previously known devices do not include the overall combination of structural and operational features presented by the instant invention.